Newton has been on a diet without any treats except freeze-dried meat for about a month now, so it was time for him to go back for a recheck on his urine pH.

He was welcomed to the vet’s office by their appointment sign.

And of course, we were also greeted by Josie, the clinic cat. She doesn’t always pay much attention to the cats in carriers in the lobby, but she walked over and looked in at Newton, who meowed back to her.

There was another cat in the lobby during our visit: a tuxedo kitten named Dale, who is up for adoption. The rest of his litter was adopted last weekend, and he has a lot to say any time he thinks someone might pay attention to him.

Since a urine sample isn’t sterile when a cat uses the litterbox the usual way, the vet wanted a sample drawn from Newton by cystocentesis.

One of the things I really like about this vet’s office is that they will do procedures in exam rooms if they don’t require the big equipment in back, and that includes cystocentisis.

Newton: What’s going ON?

The vet tech performing the cystocentisis first tried to feel Newton’s bladder, but his mother apparently taught him to “go before you leave home.” The tech wasn’t confident she could find it with a needle without visualization, so they used a small ultrasound unit.

The tech wiped his abdomen with rubbing alcohol and moved the wand around the spot she had wiped, watching the ultrasound screen.

Newton: You aren’t going to publish photos of this on the internet, are you?

Once the vet tech located the his bladder, she inserted the needle into it.

When the tech drew back the plunger, you could see the urine drawn from Newton’s bladder filling the syringe, sterile and ready to test.

This is the kind of thing that goes on in the back of your vet’s office all the time, but it’s nice to get a glimpse of it.

We’re waiting for Newton’s test results and crossing our paws that his urinary pH will have come back down to an acceptable level so there aren’t more diet changes needed. We’ll let you know what we hear.

Recently, Newton had to take a trip to the vet. He hopped right into his beloved Sleepypod carrier, but that’s where his enthusiasm ended for the adventure. He had expected he would get to snooze the morning away in it at home, not take a car ride.

Newton: This is not my happy face.

It was really important for him to go, though, because he was having some litterbox issues, and we needed to know if they indicated a medical problem.

Lots of people think that when a cat goes outside the box, it is because they are “bad cats,” but it is often because something is wrong with their health. Since litterbox issues are the number one reason that cats get relinquished to shelters, it’s extra-important to check for medical reasons behind not using the litterbox.

Of course, Newton isn’t in any danger of being relinquished to a shelter, but that didn’t excuse him from getting checked out by the vet.

He was cheerfully greeted by name by our vet’s welcome sign in the lobby.

But for some reason, that still didn’t impress him. The best part of visiting an all-cat vet is that everyone who comes in loves cats. Newton got lots of admiration while we waited for our exam room.

Newton: I would rather greet my admirers in the comfort of home, if you don’t mind.

After an exam and discussion with the vet, it was time for X-rays and some tests to see what was going on. While we waited for Newton’s turn at the X-ray machine, he stretched his legs. He was especially interested in the door to the back. Any time someone went through it, he wanted to follow them.

Newton: Let’s make a break for it out that door!

He got his wish when he went to get his X-rays and have his urine drawn.

The X-ray didn’t show any stones, so we had to look at urinalysis to see what was going on.

It turns out Newton has struvite crystals in his urine, and the pH of his urine is 8.5

pH is a measurement of the molar of hydrogen ions in a solution, and it indicates how acidic or alkaline the solution is. Lower pH values indicate more acidic materials. Battery acid has a pH of 1. Higher pH values indicate more alkaline materials. Lye has a pH of 13.

A cat’s urinary pH should be 6.0 to 6.5, or slightly acidic. This make sense when you think about which foods are acidic and which are alkaline. A cat’s diet is made of meats, which are acidic foods.

Yet for some reason, Newton’s urine was more alkaline, even though he eats a raw diet.

But Newton also eats treats, and those were primarily the crunchy style that is made mostly of grains. He also steals the kibbles that Pierre gets as bedtime treats. So there was no way to say that Newton’s diet was really free of plant material that could be causing his urinary pH to climb.

Step one for Newton is going cold-turkey off of anything with plant material in it. He’ll have to wave goodbye to his crunchy treats as they go in the bin to be donated to a local rescue. We’re hoping that will get his urinary pH back where it needs to be so that he can can start dissolving the struvite crystals in his urine that were making him go outside the box.

Newton: Can we go home now?

Hopefully he’ll be feeling better in no time. We’ll let you know what happens…

Cats instinctively to hide illness. As such small creatures in a big animal world, they don’t want to show weakness and become prey for a larger creature. Unfortunately, this means that they also hide illness from their human companions who want to be sure they stay healthy. To help catch your cat’s illness early, watch for the 10 signs that your kitty needs a visit to the vet for a diagnosis.

Keep in mind that the ailment may not have anything to do with being “sick.” Cats with arthritis may find it difficult to “assume the position” do do their business on the shifting material of cat litter and choose to go on firm flooring instead.

2 . Changes in activity

Is your senior cat suddenly playing with toys like a kitten for the first time in years? A senior experiencing what seems like a second kittenhood can be so delightful it is hard to look past it to realize it might be due to a metabolic problem.

If your kitty is less active than before, this could be a sign that something is wrong, too. For example, to jump up onto furniture to look out a favorite window can be a sign of arthritis.

3. Changes in social interactions

Most of us are familiar with cats who become withdrawn when they don’t feel well. This makes it easier to overlook ailments that can make formerly-timid cats suddenly seem more outgoing. If your kitty who never spent time in the living room with the family is suddenly climbing onto everyone’s lap when you sit down in front of the TV, it’s easy to think she has had a breakthrough, and maybe she has! She could also have hyperthyroidism making her seem more outgoing than before.

4 Changes in sleeping habits

Maybe your cat is sleeping all the time, not just her usual 18 hours or so. There’s a reason that kitty is “slowing down” that’s worth looking into.

If your kitty who used to sleep with you every night now restlessly roams the house during the dark hours, something has changed. It might be a new neighbor cat, or it could be the onset of an illness that is making her seem restless at night.

5. Changes in food or water intake

A cat who was a moderate eater and is now always hungry probably has something going on that needs attention. So does a cat whose formerly healthy appetite vanishes and now picks at her food.

If your kitty suddenly stops at the water bowl to drink much more frequently, that should also get your attention. Get her checked out so that you can intervene early in case it is diabetes or kidney disease.

6. Weight loss or gain

A cat who eats just as much as before but now loses weight has had some kind of a metabolic change that requires attention. Don’t think, “Thank goodness that diet finally worked!” if the exact same diet didn’t work for the last six months. Something is going on!

Similarly, a cat who is eating the same amount but seems to be suddenly gaining weight can be a sign that something is going on that needs attention. Your vet can help identify what is happening.

7. Changes in grooming

Does your kitty look unkempt? Maybe she isn’t bathing as often as she used to or isn’t bathing certain areas like further down her back. There could be lots of reasons for this, including arthritis making it painful to bend around into those catlike pretzel shapes needed for complete grooming.

On the other end of the grooming scale, cats can overgroom to the point of causing bare spots. This can be be a sign of anxiety, pain, or even allergy.

8. Vocalization changes

Some cats, like Siamese, are just talkative, but be on the lookout for changes from your kitty’s normal behavior. If a talkative kitty suddenly doesn’t meow, something is going on.

Does your cat’s meow sound different? Maybe the pitch is different, or she meows much more frequently or sounds hoarse. Any of these changes are a sign that something is going on with your kitty’s health.

9. Bad breath

Your cat isn’t likely to have that just-brushed fresh breath unless you brush her teeth yourself, but bad breath can be a sign of a variety of issues as obvious as dental disease or as not-so-obvious as kitty having anal gland problems and grooming herself.

10. Behavior changes

Other behavior changes not already covered above, like sudden signs of fear or aggression may be neurological but are easy to mistake for behavior issues. Keep in mind that all behavior issues have a cause, and the cause could be medical rather than your kitty being a “bad cat.”

Last week, I went to New York City for an event called BlogPurr. Merck brought together veterinarians, a cat behavior expert, and a small panel of cat writers to discuss issues specific to feline wellness and advocacy.

You’ll be reading more about topics the sessions touched on in the future, but today I wanted to share a little overview of the event itself.

The morning’s lineup of speakers began with author Amy Shojai, who writes about feline behavior. She turned the tables a little bit and instead of just discussing feline behavior, she led a discussion of human behavior, especially how we all interact online.

We discussed how there are so many different personality types among cats, and among humans, too, and how that is reflected in the way we interact online. It was great to be reminded that there are people reading who are too intimidated to comment and join the conversation, and that we need to make sure everyone has a voice in the discussion so that everybody is heard.

The second speaker was Dr. Margie Scherk, who founded the first ever feline-only veterinary practice and is now an international speaker and writer on veterinary topics. I was blown away by her amazing of energy and passion about cats and their care!

She opened by talking about how there are so millions more cats than dogs here in the US. I had no idea that there are nearly twice the number of cats as there are dogs in Canada. Our friends north of the border love cats more than we do! Yet with so many more cats than dogs living in our homes, cats get to the vet much less frequently, and the number is decreasing.

She shared some really interesting numbers about some of the excuses people give for why their cats don’t make it in to see the vet, including 60% saying their cat “hates” the vet visit, and 39% only willing to visit if their cat is sick. Cats are great at hiding illnesses, and humans aren’t very good at seeing the subtle signs of a sick cat. That makes preventative care even more important so that the cat doesn’t get sick in the first place or the illness is caught early during a routine visit.

One of my favorite things about the sessions at BlogPurr is that they didn’t talk down to us as non-veterinarians about veterinary topics. Hearing a vet say to a non-veterinary audience that veterinarians and their team members are often less comfortable working with cats than dogs was really refreshing, since it took me years of trying to convince myself I was imagining exactly that.

Veterinarians are now learning how to make their practices more cat friendly, including less-threatening exam rooms and helping cats be less fearful when they are at the vet. Since so much of what is perceived as “bad” behavior at the vet comes from a cat being afraid, this can make a big difference in your cat’s experience at the vet… which means it is a better experience for you, too.

During Dr. Scherk’s talk, she spotted a cat watching her from a window across the street. I hope that kitty learned something from her talk about why going to the vet was important!

A third talk was by Dr. Cathy Lund, who has an all-feline practice, City Kitty, in Providence, Rhode Island. I had no idea how much people can be in denial about fleas and ticks. Sure, fleas are embarrassing, but Dr. Lund has had clients tell her that their cat can’t have fleas because they live in a nice neighborhood. Some people really don’t understand that it can happen to anyone.

Dr. Lund also explained what a huge fear of tick-borne illness there is in her part of the country. It’s bad enough that people surrender their cats to shelters out of fear of catching diseases from ticks! Obviously, there has to be some solution that helps keep these cats in their homes by calming the fears of the humans they live with.

She told us about how successful the field study was at her clinic for Merck’s new Bravecto for cats and shared quotes from grateful people whose cats were part of the trial and used it to get their flea infestations under control at least. Never having heard a firsthand explanation of participating in a field study, that was really fascinating, and I can only imagine how good it must have felt to help the itchy cats and their frustrated families.

This was followed by a talk from Dr. Robert Armstrong, a veterinarian with Merck, who shared more information about the studies leading up to the new flea and tick prevention product. I laughed when one of the slides said, “People do not want to see disgusting photos.” But it’s true! How many gross photos or diagrams are used at a vet’s office to try to explain things to you and end up squicking you out instead?

I thought it was interesting when he talked about formulating a parasite preventative that lasts three months, so it lasts through the time that flea eggs in the household environment hatch and could re-colonize your cat. My first thought was of how long it took us to get fleas under control after my mother brought her cats and dog to live with my sister. A topical treatment you don’t have to remember to apply every month like Bravecto would have been a great solution for those itchy cats.

After the talk, we broke for lunch, and then it was time to go visit the cats.

No, not the New York Public Library lions! I took that photo the previous day.

The whole group went to a cat cafe. I’ll have more about that on Wednesday, so come back to see part 2 about our visit to Koneko.

Read Ashton’s Story in Rescued, Volume 2

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There are no veterinarians here. All health-related posts are the result of research and observation, but educational information is not a substitute for visiting your veterinarian. Do not self-diagnose your cat. For more information, see our disclaimer.